A new handroll omakase experience is now available within Upstairs Hawaii (280 Beach Walk). Tsuki Maki’s handroll omakase costs $85 per person and is available Thursdays-Sun days at 5:30 or 7:30 p.m.
The menu featured during April’s soft opening included six handrolls — ahi taku maki, hamachi yuan zuke maki, king salmon maki, Dungeness crab maki topped with Hokkaido uni and more — along with three dishes and a dessert.
Reservations are fully booked for May but are available for seatings starting June 2. Book reservations by email: tsukimaki@upstairshawaii.com.
‘Matcha’ made in heaven
Starting May 1, you can enjoy limited-time matcha beverages at Dean and Deluca Hawaii’s store in Royal Hawaiian Center. The drinks are exclusive to this location and will be available to the end of June.
Matcha drinks are made using freshly ground matcha from a high-tech Cuzen Matcha machine. Matcha leaves are inserted into the top of the machine, and they’re ground into a powder form, resulting in a more-robust flavor (compared to pre-ground powder). To ensure freshness and quality, all matcha beverages will be made to order.
Featured beverages include lilikoi matcha lattes and sparkling matcha. The lattes are made with brown sugar, lilikoi syrup, ice and milk (soy, almond and coconut milk available). Meanwhile, sparkling matcha is a combination of sparkling water with added matcha.
To learn more, visit deandeluca-hawaii.com.
Oceanfront offerings
Located in Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, Bali Oceanfront — formerly Bali Steak & Seafood — recently launched a revamped, chef-crafted menu. At this open-air restaurant, diners can enjoy new dishes like Bali’s take on fritto misto with a mix of local selections like Kauai head-on prawns, calamari, island catch, ulu, kabocha, jalapeños, broccolini, charred lemon, bacon and saffron aioli dipping sauce. For entrées, popular choices include seafood cioppino with clams, shrimp, calamari, mussels, fresh island catch, fennel tomato broth and grilled herb crostini, along with garlic lobster ravioli with creamy tomato basil sauce and Parmesan, filet mignon and Salmon Creek Farms pork chop.
All reservations come with complimentary validated self-parking. For more information and to make reservations, visit hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/bali.
Raising the roof for these pastries
There’s a new bakery in Honolulu that specializes in Korean pastries. Rooftop Bakery Café (938 Piikoi St.) soft-opened about three weeks ago and celebrated its grand opening May 3.
The bakery offers lattes and other coffees, but specializes in Korean pastries and breads, which are baked fresh daily. In the grab-and-go section, you’ll find a variety of Korean-style breads, buns, pastries and other snacks. The pastries are delicate, light and not overly sweet with custard and cream-based fillings. Popular choices include azuki buns, milk bread and multigrain bread. You’ll also find unique treats like cinnamon manju, chestnut manju and tofu chips.
In the refrigerated section, fresh buttercream rolls and custom cakes are popular. You can even order custom cakes for Mother’s Day.
Besides pastries and baked goods, the café also offers a robust brunch menu. Feast on a variety of eggs Benedicts, steak loco moco with demi-glace and caramelized onions, Cobb salad, avocado toast, smoked salmon toast and more.
The bakery is open every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. To learn more, call 808-200-2140 or follow the biz on Instagram (@rooftopbakerycafe).
